Combination lock



S. D. MOTT COMBINATION LOCK May 15, 1928. 1,670,042

Filed March 20, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 15, 1928.

5. D. MOTT COMBINATION LO'CK Filed March 20, 1924 s sheets-sheet '2 3. D. MOTT COMBINATION LOCK May 15, 1928 Filed March .20, 19 24 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 15,1928.

UNITED STA ES.

' Titre-p42 SAMUEL D. MOTT, or PASSAIC, lvnwannsnv;

COMBINATION ock] Application filed March 20, 1924. Serial at. 700,740. 1

This invention relates to means for cou pling a plurality of aligned'shafts' by co-,

operating parts dependent upon the principle of permutations and'combinations and more particularly to' the incorporation thereof in a combination lock. The invention seeks to provide a noiseless lock of the character de-' scribed which cannot be picked nor operated by any sound or feel of the co-operating elements incident to their'assuming on operative position. To this end the lock is so arranged'that no automatic operation of the co-operating parts is initiated which would convey an indication of the movement of the 5 parts into operative position until the com-.

Broadly, the invenbination is completed. tion comprises aligned driven and driving shafts carrying, respectively, driven and driving elements and common means to automatically engage the elements on both shafts when they are in predetermined positions.

More specifically, when appliedjto a com-' bination lock, the aligned driving and driven shafts each carry a disc formed with a slot anda connecting element or dog is "auto.-

matically adapted to enter the slots when the discs are in predetermined positions where-' by the two shafts may be rotated as a unit;

In order to increase the selectivity of the operation of the device one or a plurality of independent discs having corresponding slots may be mounted upon the aligned shafts and interposed between theaforementioned discs 7 and means may be provided to cause each independent disc to adopt a predetermined.

' companying drawings illustrating a preferred 'embodlment of the invention and 1n.

which: I

Figure 1 is a view partly in section showing the co-operating partsof the combination lock in assembled relation. I

Figure 2 is a view taken in the plane indicated bythe line 2-'2 andlooking in the'direction of thearrows and showing the connecting element or dog'in operative position The bolt or other to transmit "driving I torque between the,

aligned Ishafts. i

Figure 3 is aview in perspective showing,

the discs or tumblers and the connecting element or dog in inoperative position.

Figured is a detail view'showing a trip forrnoving th'edog out of operative posia Figure 5 isa view taken in the plane indicated by'the line. 5"5 in Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows and 'show-' ing one way of changing the combination of the, lock.

Figure 6 is a View showing, in end 'elevation,the series oftumblers or discs in Figure 1 or 10 in what may be termed the initial posltlon from whence the various tumblers are moved in succession out of their relative position in working outthe combination.

Figure 7 is a view of the several tumblers or slotted discs indicatedin Figure 1 as they might appear when inoperative or miscelf laneous positions so that the allned shafts are uncoupled and showing further means for changingthe combination.

Figure 8 is a view showing the tumblers or slotted discs in operative position wherein the slots are alined forflthe reception of the connecting elementor dog after the com 7 bination has been worked'out, 1

Figure 9 is a view taken in the plane indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 1 and lookmg in the direction of the arrows and showing the dial upon which the combination is worked out. 5 F

Figure 10 1s a fragmentary sectlonal' View smaller scale" showing a modification-of the bearing between the aline'd shafts and also showing means for givlng an 'a-ud1ble-1nd1- cation. of the position of the counterwithrespect-to the graduations onthe dial for similar to Figure 1, but on a somewhat use at night when the dial is normally not visible.

Figures 11 and 12are views showing modifications of the aubible indicating means.

Figure 13 is a sectional view of lock'm'echanism to -which the present invention is applicable.

7 Figure 14 indicated by the broken'line 14-14c in Figarrows;

The invention will be described with refer is a view taken in the plane ,ure 13 and looking in the direction .of the once to a noiseless combination look, but it will be apparent as the description proceeds that the invention will be equally applicable in any situation in which a plurality of -::=.-li'gne d shafts areto be coupled by mechanismoperating upon the principle of perm-utations and combinations. "Referring more particularly to Figure 1 the driven shaft is represented at a and the driving shaft atb. Forming a part ofthe'drivi ng shaft and secured'thereto by screws is a knob or knurled head section 0. Shaft a is formed at its innermost end with a centrally disposed circular recess a which is adapted to receive and form a bearing for the circular eXtension 1) of the shaft 5. -The aligned shafts a and b are axially disposedwithi-n a cylindrical recess formed inva housing (Z, shaft a being yournaled in a rear wall cl and the knurled head portion 0 of shaft 6 being jour naled in a front wall d convenient manner but since in practice the frontwall (l will serve as the face of the lockand willbe carried onthe outer surface of a wall, door. or the like, it will be found preferable .to secure the front wall to the housing by'means of screws, for lnstance,

entering from the rear, in order that no housing (Z is illustrated as contained Within i upon'the shaft 6. securing the ends of the arms a to the Shafts means maybe afford-ed for removing the front wall of the housing from the outside, the .headsof screws for this purpose being.

indicated at 0 in Figure 13 wherein the a recess 6 in a door-e clos'ng an opening 6 in the wall 6 I r i Shaft b is freely rotatable with respect to shafts and the means for coupling the two shafts to turn as one are contained within the housing d. Shaft a is formed with a pairof diametrically disposed arms a At the extremities of these arms and either unitary therewith or secured thereto in anyoonvenient manner are a pair of shafts a ex-- tending forwardly and in parallel relation ship with the aligned sh afts.- Secured to the ends of the shafts at, respectively, are the ends of'a pair of diametrically disposed arms or carried with a'bushing a journ-aled loosely Screws a are indicated a Also integral with the shaft a is a disc or transmitt ng tumbler a formed with diametrlcally disposed slots (i of curved outline as indicatedin Figures 7 and 8, the curved surfaces of the slots being circumferential with respect to the axes of the respective. shafts a Shaft 19 isformed with a similar disc or master tumbler Z9 also having diametrically disposed slots b of curved outline corre spending in configuration to the slots (1 in the disc a It will be apparent that the arms (4 disc a and disc b need'not be formedintegral'with the respective shafts, but on the contrary may be keyed thereto or y p M The front and rear. 'w-allsmaykbe secured to the housing in any otherwise secured in any conventional manner. p V v r If aconnecting element were lnserted 1n the slots 5 and a it will be apparent that v the aligned shafts would turn as a unit. Such a connectingueiement or dog is illustrated in perspective at f in Figure 3 and insection in Figure 2. The dog is shaped to Slideeasily into "and out of the slots by I forming its surface circumferential with respect to the axis of shaft a and 1s preferably formed integral with a pair of levers f pivotally mounted onthe shafts a Two such dogs are shown in the interest of strength but it will be apparent that one or any numbermight be used each carried by a respective shaftJ When two dogs are'provided they re disposed-upon opposite-sides of the discs in such position as to enter the respective diametrically disposed slots and are yiel'dingly held against the perimeters of the tumblers so that immediately the slots in the respective tumblers are 'i aligned, the. dogs willenter to form a coupling therehetween. In order to uncouple the shafts means are provided for-withdraw ing the dogs from the slots. In the pro I ferred embodiment of the invention the levers f are formed on the opposite sides of. the fulcrums with extended portions 7. lVhen th'e dogs are fullywithin the slots, the outer extremity of thearms f are adaptedto travel in thearcs indicated, by the dot ted lines i in: Figure 2.x A trip. in the form of a hoop-shaped resilient member 9 formed with a hooked end 9 is secured as by rivets or screws 9 on the interior of the housing in such manner that the hook 9 extends into i the path of the arm f When the shaft is rotatedhook g" engages the arm f thereby causingthe lieverto turn about its fulcrum v ieldin engagement of the do s with re- 2': l c, Q :1

spect to the perimeters of the discs springs f areprovided which pass through slots a". in the respective shafts a and have a bearing as at ft against the twoidler tumblers. Such a bearing serves not only as provision for reaction against the spring to cause it to press the dogs always .againstthe perime ter of the'discs but in addition serves as brake upon the two idlers in order that they may be held substantially against rotation except when intentionally turned through is a stud h.

k are similarly formed.

themedium of the studs. The springs f are rigidly retained in the slots a by means of screws 00 for instance.

Therehas thus been described the SlID-' Hplest aspect of the invention since a coupling is not only provided between two aligned shafts, but in order to G'lTGCtSIlCll coupling, it is necessary to place the respective discs in predetermined position with respect to each other. i

F or practical purposes it will be found advisable to increase the number of turn blers and thus increase the number of steps to be taken in working out the combination.

To this end additional tumblers are inserted ings 2' each additional idler tumbler adding a number to the combination. The idler tumblers are shown more clearly in Figures 7 and 8 and are each formed with diametrically disposed slots 7Z '21I1Cl M, respectively, corresponding in every particular with the slots a and 6 It will be apparent, in order that the dog may serve as a connection between the discs 6 and a that the slots 72/ I ifimust be aligned withthe slots [a and 5 Means for bringing the slots into alignment" and moving them outof such alignment will nowbe described. The master'disc or tumbler b is formed on its inner face with a stud b. This stud may be formed in any convenient way on the disc, but it is preferred that the stud take the form of a screw whereof the shank enters a hole such as b (Figure 6). Disc h is provided with a pair of studs on opposite sides, respectively of the disc as illustrated clearly in Figure 1. On the side of that disc'adjacent the disc Z9 is the stud 72, and on the opposite side thereof is the stud k On the side of the disc h adjacent the disc it other with the discs and are rotated with respect to each other while the studs It /(111d Theouter surface of wall (Z is graduated to constitute a scale (l3 as indicated in Figure 9 and a pointer or index isindicated in'suitable fashion on the surface of the element 0.

The combination is worked out-in a manner similar to other usual combinations that is, the knurled head 0 is turned in clock wise and counterclockwise directions to bring the pointer c to predetermined positions upon the scale (P. To illustrate more Studs b and h extend out' wardly from their respective discs a distance sufhcient to enable them to engage each in detail, the positions vof the four' discs shown in Figure 7 may be taken as any positionsinwhich the discs may chance to p be whenthe lock is in inoperative position with the dogs removed from the slots andin Figure 8 the position of the four discs are shown when the slots are aligned toper mitthe dog to enter the slots. Itwillbe assumed that the combination is 5'1510' from the. initial or zero position. The

knurled head is first turned in a counterclockwise direction for several. revolutions in order that the stud. b" shall pick up the stud 7L and the stud pickup the stud it thuscausingthe threediscsb h and h to .rotate togetherin the initialposition shown T in Figure 10. Still continuing to rotate the a knob in a counterclockwise direction, the

pointer-c is-turned past the point marked 0 and brought to rest opposite-the graduation'marked Son the scale.

The knob is then turned in a clockwise direction This will cause the stud it to be moved out of contact with thestud It when the disc 72. is finally turned whereby the disc h r'emains stationary inthe position shown in-Figure 8 under the braking action of the spring.

As the stud it has been placed at a prede termined position upon the disc h'the slot 7& is aligned with the slot a Continuing to turn theknob in a clockwise: direction through 360 degrees, the rotation of the disc ifbeing also retarded by the spring 7', the

stud 5 will be caused to pick up the stud Men the opposite sidethereof.

The rotationof the knob is then continued in the p same directionuntil the pointer-comes to the graduation marked 15; This will bring the slot 7L in line with the slots h and a as illustrated in Figure 8. The knob is then turned again in a counterclockwisedirection until the pointer is travelled through 90 degrees and is brought to rest opposite the 7 graduation marked 10 atwwhich time the disc?) takes the positionshown in Figure 8 -a nd"all-fo ur slots are alignedr The dogs which are yieldingly maintained against the perimeters of the discs are now permitted to enterthe slots whereby the two shafts will turn as a unit.

Various means may be adopted for changing the combination of the lock. 1 For instance, the shaft Z) may be. formed at its outer end with a plate portion Z1 -An annular series of holes Z) may be provided inorder that the knob portion '0 may take any one of a series of positions with respect to the plate 6 thescrews 0 passing through any pair of diametrically disposed holes in the series and entering the holes G in the It will thus be apparent that by.

knob. changing the knob portionc with respect to the plate 5 the entire, combination'may be changed. In'addit ion, any or all figures of the combination may also be changed by on. the tumblers.

series of holes may be. formed in each of the tumblers 6 h and h as indicated clearly in Figures 7 and ;8 and by changing the studs from one hole to another, each number of the combination may be changed.

It may sometimes happen that the combination must be worked in the dark in the absence of a light or luminous marking on.

the dial. To this, end audible indicating means maybe provided which will give. a sound, such as a sharp click, as the pointer c passesover each graduation on the scale. This will, not serve to give away the combination as the clicks will merely indicate the relative position of the index with respect to the scale and will have no connectlon with the relative positions of the. va-

rious studs. In Figure 10 there is shown a, I ratchet wheel j secured, in any convenle'nt manner upon the shaft Z) as by means, of the screw 7. v A dog 7' carried onthe end of a spring. 7' which is mounted in any convenlent manner in the housing as at f is yield- 'ingly held against the, ratchet so that as the dog snaps into the depressionsbetween the teeth on the ratchet an audible sound is given. If desired everyfifth depression between adjacent teeth may be formed of greater depth than the rest. This will result in the dogs snapping'into the deeperdepression with greater forcethereby giv- 1119(). different sound.- The ratchet wheel i .may then be disposed on the shaftso that the deeper depressions correspond to the position ofvthe pointer at the points marked 0-510l5 on' the. scale. .A pin is shown in Figures and 11 threadedinto the front wall of the housing and provided with a conical point. By moving the pin axially by means of its knurled head j more a which two alined shafts are tobe connected or less ofthe conical pointisbrought to bear against the spring f to determine the tension thereof and the force with which the dog 7' is snapped into the depressions be tween the teeth on the ratchet wheel. In Figure 12 there is illustrated a modification of the audible indicating means comprising agear wheel adapted to be rigidly connected to the shaft in any convenient manner while a pointer is is adapted to be yieldingly held against the teeth through the intervention of thespring k held between the studs Is 76 and the eccentrically pivoted base portion 70* supporting the pointer 7s. The tension of the spring is adjusted by the cam it".

Referring to Figures 1 and 10, it will be observed that the innermost end of the driven shaft a is provided with a pinion Z. This pinion Z is rigidly secured to the shaft in any convenient manner and is adapted to transmit motion from the shaft to" the bolts constituting the lock elements of the lock.

In the illustrated embodiment shown in-Fig= ures l3 andv 14, the. lock is carried ina member wa one arm of which is formedwith teeth as at m to coact with the pinion L, l/Vhen therefore the shafts are connected to turn as one the pinion Z will, when the knurled head 0 is turned force each forked" member radially to cause the-bolts to enter the recesses 6* in the wall. Movement of the knurled head in the opposite d irectioirwill.

of course cause the retraction: of the boits' in the same manner. It will be understood of course thatth'e rotation of the two Shifts as a unit is limited in the embodiment illustrated to an angle of degrees and that so soon as the knurled head 0 is turned through an angle greater than 90 degrees the end f (Figure 3) will be, moved into engagement with the trip 9 to causethelwi'thdrawal of the dog from the slots iii-the tumblers and the disconnectionof the two shafts.

It will thus be seen thata lock has been, provided which is absolutely. noiseless in its operation since there is no automatic movement of the parts,- as for instance, the movements of the dog into the slots of the tumblers, until the combination is completely worked out the combination from the sound or feel of the co-oper'ating' parts moving into operative .position. tions may be made in the manner of affordv ing changes in the combination as well as in the uses to which the present lock is to be put and it is not to be limited to the precise bolt mechanism shown in the drawings but is equally applicable in any situation in by devices dependent for their operation upon the theory of permutations and combinations. v 33 lVhat I claim is: V p I 1. A coupling for aligned shafts comprising, in combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, driving means carried with' the driving shaft, driven means carried with the driven shaft and common means adapt- Variousmodificaed to automatically engagethe means on both shafts when they are in predetermined posit-ions.

2. A coupling ing, in combination, a driving shaft,'a driven shaft, driving means carried with the driving shaft, driven means carried with, the driven shaft, idler means, and common means adapted to automatically engagethe driving and driven means when said means and the idler ineansare in. predetermined osltions. V ,3. A coupling for aligned shafts comprrs for aligned shafts compris ing, in combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a disc formed with a slot carried with the driving shaft, a disc formed with a slot'carried with the driven shaft and means adapted to enter said slots when the discs are in predetermined positions.

L. A'coupling for alignedshafts, COHIPHSe 'ing, in combination, a driving shaft, a

driven shaft,'a disc formed with a slot cartied with the drivingshaft, a disc formed with a slot carried with the driven shaft, means normally -maintained' yieldingly against the peri'metersof said discs, and

means to cause said first mentioned means to enter the slots when the discs are in prcdetermined positions.

5. A coupling for aligned shafts, comprising, in combination,

; ing, in combination, a driving shaft, a

driven shaft, a disc formed with a slot and carried with the driving shaft, a disc formed with a slot and carried with the driven shaft, a plurality of idler discs each formed with a clearance and rotatably mounted on the shafts between said first mentioned discs,.

means to transmit motion from the disc on the driving shaft to the idler discs, a coupling element maintained yieldingly against the perimeters of the discs, and means to cause said coupling element to enter the slots when the discs are in predeterminedpositions. I V

7. A coupling for aligned shafts comprising, in combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a disc formed with a slot and carried with the driving shaft, a disc formed with a slot and carried with the driven shaft, a member pivoted eccentrically of the shafts and means to automatically cause said member to enter said slots when the discs assume predetermined positions.

8. A coupling for aligned shafts comprising, in combination, a driving shaft, a

' driven shaft, a disc formed with a slot and carried with the driving shaft, a disc formed wlth a slot and carrled with a driven shaft, a member pivotedeccentrically of the shafts and means to automatically cause said member to enter said slots when-the discs assume predetermined positions, and

a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a disc formed with a slot cardriven shaft, a disc formedwith a slot and carried with the driving shaft, a disc formed with a'slotand carried with the driven shaft, an idler disc rotatably mounted on 'the shafts between the first mentioned discs and formed with a clearance, a shaft par allel with saidaligned shafts but spaced therefrom, an arm rotatably mounted'upon said last with said periphery of the discs. and adapted toenter said slots when the discs assume predetermined positions, a trip to withdraw the dog from the slot upon rotation of the shafts through an vangle greater than a predetermined angle and means to transmit motion between the discs. 1

10. A coupling for aligned shafts ,com-- prising, in combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a disc formed with a slot and carried withthe driving shaft, a disc formed with a slot and carried with the driven shaft, a plurality of idler discs rotatably mentioned shaft, a dog carried armyleldlngly held against the.

mounted on the shafts between the first men- I tioned discs and formed with a clearance a shaft parallel with said aligned shafts but spaced therefrom, an arm rotatably mounted on said last mentioned shaft, a dog carried with said arm yieldingly held against the periphery ofthe discs, and adapted to enter said slots whenthe discs assume predetermined positions, a trip to withdraw the dog from the slots upon rotation ofrthe shafts through an angle'greater than a pre- 7 determined angle, means to transmittmotion between the discs, a bolt and connections be tween the driven shaft and thebolt.

11. Acoupling for aligned shafts comprising, in combination, a driving shaft, a

driven shaft, a disc formed with diametrically disposed slots and carried with thedriving shaft, a disc formed with diametricallydisposed slot-s and carried with the driven shaft, a plurality of idler discs rotatably mounted on the aligned shafts between said first mentioned discs and formed with diametrically disposed clearances, a pair of parallel shafts carried with the driven shaft at opposite sides and spaced from the" aligned shafts, a lever rotatably mounted the slots in the discs, a spring secured to '1 each parallel shaft to press the dog against the periphery of; the discs and bearing against the ilder discs, a trip to engage the other. arm of the lever to move the dog agalnst the action of the spring, means to transmit motion between the driving disc and the idler discs, a bolt and operative connections between the bolt and driven shaft.

l2. In combination, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, the end of one shaft being journaled in the end of the other and permutation means to clutc'h the driving shaft 'with' vthe drivenshaft substantially as described.

13-. In "combinationwith a tumbler carried with a shaft and having a slot, of a clutching element carried with an arm pivoted 'eccentrically of the shaft, and means to yieldingly maintain the clutch element against the periphery of the tumbler.

14:; In combination a shaft, a shaft eccen- "tric to said first mentioned shaft, a tumbler carried with said first mentioned shaft and formed with a slot whereof the surfaces are concentric with. respect to the second 1nentioned shaft, an arm carried with said second mentioned sl1aft,'an' engaging element carrled with'said arm and formed with surfaces concentric with respect to said second nentioned shaft, and means to yieldingly frame pivoted on theaxis on either side of;

the elements, means on theframe for eircuniferentially engaging the elements and means for releasing the engaging means at Will. I a a i I This specification signed this 1 1th day of February A. D. 1924. i a SAMUEL D. MOTT. 

